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I've just bought myself a new car, and as expected the dealer is trying to sell me extra items.

The two options they are trying to push on me are

  • Paint Protection

  • nano technology paint protection & nano technology protection for the seats.

Are either of these options worth considering?

My current thought is, the worst that can happen without it is I need to get the car painted again, which even if you use the amount the dealer charges as extra for the metallic paint, would still be a cheaper option.

Few extra details - The car is metallic black, live in Sunny Queensland but I have a garage.

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  • Who did u call about ur seat. I paid for the same thing was trying to call to get mine done
    – Shay Boyce
    Nov 21, 2016 at 5:55

8 Answers 8

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The manufacture provides a warranty on the paint and corrosion, and what they're selling you usually doesn't extend that. All of the dealers I have worked at sold some kind of paint protection and rust protection.

The paint protection was a wax job, a good one no less, but a wax job that you could get at a high quality detail shop for about $150, but they charged $795. They used the high quality professional grade supplies, just like the high quality detail shop uses.

The rust protection was rubberized undercoat, the same stuff you can by off the autoparts shelf in spray cans. They used a commercialized system for spraying it on, same stuff that's in the can just a different delivery system that let's them do it in less time than if you were using spray cans. So it takes them less time and costs you $1295

So no, don't spend the money. The money at a car lot is made in the F&I Office (Finance and Insurance) They really don't make much on selling the car, it's everything they add on.

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    The dealership where I worked at sold the Paint Sealant/Undercoating/Scotch Guard package for around $450. We had an independent contractor provide the service for us ... total cost to us? $60. That was several years ago, but you get the idea. All of these products are commercially available to the average person and can be applied in an afternoon. Jan 6, 2014 at 16:54
  • The undercoating at the dealer is more like polyurethane truck liner material (also available at all the parts stores) nowadays than the spray can "rubberized undercoat" (I have a can of it from the 70s lol). Sep 26, 2017 at 19:57
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Want paint protection? Wash and wax your car. I wouldn't buy anything the dealer is selling as "paint protection."

All these treatments are typically very similar to products you can buy at a local auto parts store. The paint protection is almost certainly some kind of wax-like product, and the "nano-technology protection" for the seats is probably some kind of scotch-guard type product.

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Sounds like a marketing gimmick. If you have a garage, and you plan on having a garage for some time to come, just keep it in said garage and your car will age well enough. Not to mention you live in Queensland, it's sunny there, right? Do they salt the roads? If they salted the roads I might consider paint protection, but otherwise not. Just take care of your car and your car will take care of you.

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i just bought a new car that has been treated with ec bond but its not the protection that bought me its that they cover door dents headlight cracks and stuff for 5 years. As well as paint being messed up in anyway it is all repaired for free. Only cost me $350 i think.

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Don't bother! I got suckered in on a new at the time 2015 Honda Accord, the salesman said if a seat got stained and they couldn't get it out they old replace the seat, well guess what , he lied, he also said if the paint got scratched they would touch up the paint, guess what it's all BS, $500.00 dollars out the window Don't get screwed like I did!

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Paint protection is a real thing, more than just a wax. However, I wouldn't get it at a dealer. Since you're in Australia, have a look at Opticoat and Gyeon, and get it done from a reputable detailer.

Advantages of getting a paint protection coating:

  1. Another layer of shine
  2. Makes the paint less (but still will) susceptible to micro scratches (swirl marks) - this barrier will reduce as the paint protection wears off
  3. Less susceptible to chemical deformities on the clear coat (acid rain, bird droppings, etc.)

What it won't do:

  1. Means you don't have to wash the car. - Regular washing is still required, using a good technique (such as 2 bucket method, clean wash mitts, etc.)
  2. Prevent hard scratches
  3. Prevent rust, base coat deformities, etc.

If you like your car looking good, and wash it regularly, I would get it. If it's just your A-B car which you wash once every 6 months, there's no harm not getting it.

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I'm in the finance department, and while I can't speak for all products, the one we use is definitely worth the money. It isn't the product you are paying for, it's the professional application, the warranty that comes with it, and the added resale value when you trade or sell the car later. We charge $1000 for exterior 10 year protection and interior 5 year protection, and an additional $600 for 5 year rip, tear, burn, windshield replacement, dent removal, and alloy wheel protection. If you keep a car 5-10 years, this is a great way to keep the car looking great. You end up keeping the car longer which saves you sales tax. Plus, you don't have to wax the car anymore, and you don't have to wash as often. We literally just hose the cars down. This also reduces my personal pet peeve, which are swirl marks Any contamanents that get into paint that has not been treated can only be removed with an acid was or a buffer, which are both dangerous to the cars paint if used too often or even improperly just once. Also, something to keep in mind, I've been in this business 10 years, and my father has been in it over 35 years. Salespeople, who are human, never get the benifit of the doubt when they say something inaccurate. It happens, but I see misunderstandings and communication breakdowns every other day, and have only see a few times ever that someone straight out lied. Think about it, sales success is about repeat clients and referrals, which you lose when you lie. Liars are pushed out because nobody wants to work or do business with them. 95-98% of the time a salesman says something inaccurate, they didn't intentionally lie, they just didn't fully understand their product.

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  • Thanks for the answer. Posts are easier to read when broken into paragraphs and you hit on the important facts of the answer.
    – JPhi1618
    Sep 26, 2017 at 20:46
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I vote for rip-off. My 2011 Nissan had factory paint only and is nearly perfect after 65000 mostly freeway miles. Two tiny stone chips that most people can't see. Leather seats also look perfect. I wash it twice a year whether it needs or or not and it looks like it has had a deluxe waxing ; dark red metallic.

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